Role: / Welfare Executive / Date profile last reviewed: / 01 June 12
Name: / Reports to: / Head of General Welfare
1. MAIN SUMMARY OF ROLE:
This is a short term (12 month role) during a time of development within the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. It involves joining the Welfare team of 30 people, and being part of the General Welfare team of 10. The role involves processing applications for financial assistance from former members of the Royal Air Force, their widows and other dependants, excepting those associated with housing, residential homes, domiciliary care and convalescence.
2. KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Responding to initial contacts from applicants either by telephone, letter or email, arranging a home visit by a voluntary caseworking organisation, and where appropriate, the submission of an application form.
- Reviewing and rejecting applications where the applicant is ineligible or where the assistance sought is outside the scope of the Fund.
- Preparing applications for consideration, ensuring that complete but concise briefing information is available to enable a proper judgement to be made. Where cases are within your own delegated financial authority, you should action them accordingly. Where they are not, they should be referred to the relevant authority.
- Ensuring that all information necessary to enable Committees to form a proper judgement is available, resolving anomalies and rectifying omissions and errors as necessary.
- Preparing applications for consideration by Committee or by Director Welfare/Head of General Welfare.
- Preparing a computer record for use in case presentation and updating the database to record decisions. Preparing and dispatching all correspondence arising from these decisions to ensure that Fund assistance awarded is disbursed without delay in accordance with Fund policies.
- Ensuring accuracy of records held in connection with Regular Financial Assistance cases and progressing timely submission of renewal applications.
- Responding to oral or written queries from government departments, the public, potential applicants, helper organisations and charities, informing Head of General Welfare/Director Welfare as necessary.
- Acquiring and using an up to date working knowledge of major state benefits and awareness of the availability of assistance from other sources e.g. state, local government and other charitable organisations.
- Amending all publications held as necessary. Maintaining and updating computer records for all cases and ensuring that other records for general use are kept up-to-date.
- Undertaking any tasks not necessarily related to specific casework as directed by Head of General Welfare/Director Welfare.
- Progressive acquisition of appropriate specialist knowledge through structured projects.
- Knowledge of state benefits.
COMPETENCIES REQUIRED FOR THE ROLE
Job Knowledge
Decision Making and Problem Solving
Drive, Energy, Motivation
Adaptability and Flexibility
Accuracy and Time Management
Teamwork / Verbal Communication
Written Communication
Planning
Representation
IT competence
QUALIFICATION(S), KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED FOR THE ROLE
4. Academic/Professional Qualification/Qualification(s) or equivalent:
Essential / Desirable
- A-levels (grade A-C).
- Educated to degree level.
5. Knowledge/ Experience:
Essential / Desirable
- Sound administrative background.
- Working knowledge of the State Benefits system.
- RAF background.
- Welfare-related background.
6. Skills/Abilities:
Essential
- Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, including a sympathetic and practical telephone manner.
- Excellent administration and organisational skills.
- Excellent analytical skills with the ability to sympathetically discern between those matters essential to case development as distinct from matters of only peripheral relevance.
- Ability to prioritise workload.
- IT literate: Microsoft Office Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint.
- Good keyboard skills
- Ability to produce own correspondence.
- Demonstrable presentation skills.
- A flexible approach to work, colleagues and change initiatives.
- A team player.
Other Requirements:
- Travel to other Fund and UK locations (as appropriate).
- To carry out any other duties within the scope of the job as requested by Head of General Welfare.
Signature
I confirm this job profile has been drawn up with my full involvement and accurately reflects the responsibilities of the role.
Post Holder's Signature:NAME:
Line Manager's Signature:NAME:
Date: